ESPN 9/11 Special Explores How Sports Helped Heal Nation

On the 17th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, ESPN will explore how sports helped the nation heal following one of the darkest days in U.S. history.
Produced in conjunction with the National September 11 Memorial & Museum in New York, the E:60 presentation of Comeback Season – Sports After 9/11 will air Tuesday night, Sept. 11, at 4 p.m. today on ESPN, anchored by Mike Greenberg.

The 90-minute program will include interviews, features and memories from athletes, coaches, families and others whose stories marked key emotional milestones in sports following the 9/11 attacks.

The program features interviews from an event produced by ESPN in conjunction with the Museum to help launch the special exhibition “Comeback Season: Sports After 9/11,” which is now open to the public.

A look inside the exhibit will also be part of the program.

Among sports figures appearing in the program:

Former New York Rangers captain Mark Messier.

Former New York Jets quarterback Vinny Testaverde and former coach Herm Edwards.

Former New York Giants players Howard Cross and Amani Toomer.

Former New York Yankees manager Joe Torrre.

Former New York Mets manager Bobby Valentine.

Former NASCAR driver Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Former U.S. Women’s National Team members Kate (Sobrero) Markgraf and Julie Foudy.

Former New England Patriots offensive guard Joe Andruzzi, whose three brothers were NYC firefighters on 9/11.The program also will include a portion of the ESPN 30 for 30 short film “First Pitch,” detailing the night President George W. Bush threw out the first pitch for Game 3 of the World Series at Yankee Stadium in October of 2001.Among other elements:

A look back at the Army-Navy game of Dec. 1, 2001, including new interviews with two players who were part of an iconic moment after the game.

How the New York City Marathon on Nov. 4, 2001, contributed to the city’s healing.

The specially-produced Budweiser commercial that aired in the 2002 Super Bowl with the Budweiser Clydesdales kneeling in respect toward New York City. The commercial has only aired once.

An essay on the broad impact of sports after 9/11 by ESPN the Magazine writer Tom Junod, with a longer version of the piece to appear in the magazine.

“Still New York,” a musical tribute by New York artist MAX, will close the program.

Prior to the program, the 3 p.m. edition of SportsCenter will include some additional elements related to 9/11, including an airing of reporter Tom Rinaldi’s Emmy-winning 2011 SC Featured piece “The Man in the Red Bandana.” The feature remembers Welles Crowther, a former Boston College lacrosse player who led people to safety after terrorists struck the World Trade Center on 9/11. His trademark was a red bandana.

Comeback Season will re-air on ESPN2 at 6:30 p.m. tonight and both airings also will stream on the ESPN App.